Self-help Articles

by John Suler, Ph.D.

I'd like to give some suggestions for writing email that can make a big difference to the readers. What follows is an example of a "before" and "after" message. The two are similar in terms of the surface content of what Susan is saying to Joe. However, the second one illustrates a variety of email composition techniques.

The second example shows a balance between spontaneity and thoughtful organization; empathetic attentiveness to the recipient; and the expressive use of quoted text, caps, special characters, spacing, trailers, parenthetical thoughts and actions, and smileys.

As such, it conveys an entirely different range of meanings and feelings than the first message.

Writing email: Version 1

Joe,
Quoting text in email is something we all have to learn at some point or another. No problem. If your email program doesn't automatically set up a new message with the quoted text in it, there are other ways to do it.
One way is like this. Open the email I sent to you. Create a new (blank) email to send to me. Use your mouse to select and copy the text from the email I sent you. Insert that copied text into the new email message. Add in whatever new text you want into the message to send to me.
This is easy to do on a Mac. I think you're working on a PC, right? It should be pretty easy for you too, though the steps might be slightly different. Let me know how it works out.
Have a great time on your vacation. We were supposed to leave for vacation last week, but our car broke down. Something to do with the transmission. It's at the dealers now being fixed. It will probably cost an arm and a leg. But that doesn't matter. You know us. We have lots of money.
- Susan

Writing email: Version 2

Hello Joe!

Working on the paper together through email is a great idea. My trouble is that I don't know how to add onto your email, though I've seen others respond to my emails by just writing below what I had written. I'm sure it's a1-2-3 type of thing, so if you give me a hand I'd really appreciate it. I'm such a dolt!«

LOL! Hey! It's something we all have to learn at some point or another. No prob. If your email program doesn't automatically set up a new message with the quoted text in it, there are other ways to do it. One way is like this:

• open the email I sent to you
• create a new (blank) email to send to me
• use your mouse to select and copy the text from the email I sent you
• insert that copied text into the new email message
• add in whatever new text you want into the message to send to me

Voila. This is easy to do on a Mac. I think you're working on a PC, right? It should be pretty easy for you too, though the steps might be slightly different. Let me know how it works out.

Otherwise all is going well here. We're headed to the beach for our vacation next week. We're looking forward to it. We need some time off from work.>>

Have a GREAT time! :-) .... (feeling jealous).... We were *supposed* to leave for vacation last week, but our car broke down. Something to do with the transmission. It's at the dealers now being fixed. It will probably cost an arm and a leg. But that doesn't matter. You know us....we.... uh... (cough)...have LOTS of money. ;-)

hands in holes in pockets,
Susan

Writing email can be fun. You are able to express your unique personality.

About the Author:

John Suler, PhD. is Professor of Psychology at Rider University and a practicing clinical psychologist. He has published on psychotherapy, mental imagery, and eastern philosophy. He currently maintains several web sites.